Cycles of Change

A common question arises regarding neutrality: If an observer holds values, do they not inevitably take a side? The answer is yes. Holding values requires taking a side. The distinction lies in what the observer takes a side against. Most definitions of "taking a side" involve choosing a Tribe. [...]

Hannah Arendt first introduced the concept of the "banality of evil" during the 1961 trial of Adolf Eichmann. She used this phrase to describe how ordinary people can participate in horrific crimes through simple obedience and an absence of thought. She observed that Eichmann was not a complex [...]

Major world religions provide moral frameworks that guide individuals and societies. Principles found in Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism offer similar views on right and wrong. These traditions provide rules for living a good life and solving moral problems. Following these [...]

Handling the hard ethical choices of the modern age requires a careful balance; we must preserve traditional values while also meeting the needs of each person. Major moral debates about medical care and life-changing identity choices often cause loud public fights that can hide the real need for [...]

Laws provide the essential framework within which modern societies function. These legal structures aim to balance individual liberties with collective needs, establish order, and provide mechanism for resolving disputes. However, the perception of what constitutes a beneficial or "good" law versus [...]

Stability in a complex civilization depends on a shared map of reality. This map usually consists of agreed-upon social rules and linguistic definitions. When these definitions change quickly, a "map-territory" mismatch occurs. This mismatch generates social friction. Currently, topics like gender [...]

The combination of quantum computing and artificial intelligence has the potential to change many aspects of life, from the way people work to how they interact with the world. However, it also creates new social challenges that demand attention now, before the technology becomes widespread. [...]

The act of inhabiting natural spaces, whether for a night or a season, beings with a single, critical decision: where to stop. In the modern world, habitation is dictated by property lines and zoning laws, but in the outdoors, it is dictated by the landscape itself. The selection of a site is not [...]